Fire-escape.



E. T. RYAN.

FIBE ESCAPE.

(Application led May 1.7, 1899.)

No. 654,359. Patented` July 24, i900.

(No Model.)

mlm Mmm Nm@ wml@ #1 ry: Noms vzvsnspp. agro-mno.. WASHINGTON. n. c.

@News STATES,

PATENT Ormes.

EUGENE T. RYAN, oF ANaw YORK, N. Y.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part o'f Letters Patent No. 654,359, dated J' uly24, 1900. Application filed May-17, 1899. Serial No. 717,130. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, EUGENE T. RYAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York city, county of New York, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire-Escapes, fully described and represented in the followingspecification and the accompanying drawings,

forming a part of the same.

This invention relates to improvements in nre-escapes, it being the object of the present invention tofprovide a simple and efficient fire-escape which is controllable from a distant point and operated in such way as to insure the delivery quickly of the fire-escape in proper position for use in case of re.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure lis a vertical section of a building the roof of which is equipped with fire-escape apparatus embodying the present invention in its preferred form, such apparatus including a fiexible ladder,'means for retaining it in its folded or coiled condition, and connect-ions for releasing it. Fig. 2 is a detail in section, on an enlarged scale, of the fire-escape apparatus. Fig. 3 is a plan view ofl the same. Fig. l is a front elevation of a portion of the ladder; and Fig. 5 is a front view of a building equipped with a number of the fire-escapes of the preceding gures, with connections for simultaneously releasing them.

Referring to said drawings, A represents the fire-escape proper; B, the base-board on which it is mounted; C, a spring for propelling the fire-escape or ladder A forward to the edge of a roof or wall, over which it falls into position for use, while D represents a movable hood which in its closed position compresses the propelling-spring C and which is held normally in such closed position by a lock E.

The fire-escape or ladder A is secured at as shown, and rests upon the propelling-spring' C, which is preferably formed, as shown, with L side arms for engaging the coiled or foldedladder nearfitsside edges, said side arms being also curved downwardly, as shown, so as to retain the Yfolded or coiled up ladder in proper position longitudinally of the spring C. "By reason of this construction and arrangement of the side arms of the spring the latter forms in effect a cradle on which the coiled or folded ladder will be evenly balanced and which when released will propel the ladder forward in a straight line.. The spring C may act to propel the ladder either by slowly inclining itself, so that the ladder willsimply roll down the same, or by abruptly assuming such inclined position, so as to throw or shoot it forward, the ladder in either event being automatically delivered to position for use. The hoodl) is hinged `at the rear end of the base-board B and is provided with 'a top and sides, so as to completely inclose the ladder and spring, and thusprotect them from dust and dirt and from being tampered with byfunauthorized' pe1' sons,and also in case the apparatus be located, asitwill preferably be, on the roof R of the building, as shown, protect these parts from the elements. The hood D is held in its closed position, as before stated, and the spring O therefore held under tension by a lock E, which may be of any desired construction capable of control by any suitable mechanism, so as to be released from a distant point, but is preferably a block of fusible metalincluded in an electric circuit F G, running down through the side or outside point-as, for example, the office or main hall of a hotel or other building or a suitable' signal-box in the streetwith a circuit-closer H. Preferably each buildingwill be providedwith a number of these apparatus, and in such,case a single circuit will be provided for simultaneously releasing all, as shown in'Fig. 5. y

As before stated, the fire-escape apparatus of the present invention will preferably be located on the roof of the building in rear of the projecting cornice I, as shown, so as to be out of View when not in use and so that the fire-escape or ladder` A when extended will be supported by the cornice and thus held away from the face of the wall a suitable distance to enable the user to secure a good hold on the ladder with his hands and feet and to descend rapidly and without injury from the IOO wall, the ladder at the same timebeingheldv sufficiently close to the wall to be within convenient reach of the occupants of the building standing upon the window-sills. Each fire-escape apparatus, moreover, will preferably be arranged in line with a tier of Windows, so that it will fall directly in front of such windows.

The ladder A is preferably of the construction shown in Fig. 4-that is to say, with side rods or bars of Wire rope and steps a of suitable rigid metal, preferably tubular, which are connected to the side bars or rods by means of T-shaped tubes b, provided with threaded openings for receiving the correspondingly-threaded ends of the steps ce, the rigid steps being employed so as to keep the side bars separated under the weight of the person descending the ladder.

The manner of using the apparatus is as follows: As the parts are shown by full lines in the several figures they are in their normal positions, each ladder being coiled or folded up within its hood D, which is held closed by lock E, the spring C being in turn held under tension by the hood D. In case of iire all that is necessary to be done to bring the fireescape, or {ire-escapes if there be more than one, into position is to close the circuit through F Gr by closing the circuit-closer H at the office or other point inside or outside of the building. With the circuit thus closed the lock or locks E will speedily melt, thus releasing the hood D, which in turn releases the spring C, which throws the hood back- Ward and assumes an inclined position, thus causing the coiled or folded ladder A to move or be thrown over the edge of the cornice I and then to extend itself and descend, all as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1. The ladder A Will of course be of such length that its free end will approach the sidewalk closely, so that it may be seized, if necessary, by firemen or others for the purpose of steadying it while the occupants of the building are descending or firemen or others are ascending to the assistance of the occupants or for any other purpose.

The construction shown and described illustrates the several featuresof the present invention in their preferred forms, and modifications or changes may be made therein, if desired, without departing from the invention.

What is claimed is- 1. The combination with a fixed support, of a flexible fire-escape secured at one end to said support and adapted to be folded or coiled up at its other end and held in a position of non-use and when released to unfold or uncoil itself into position for use, releasf; -able means for retaining it in its position of non-use, and a propelling-spring for initiating its movement to position for use, substantially as described.

2. The combination with a fixed support, of aiiexible fire-escape secured at one end to said support and adapted to be folded or coiled up at its other end and held in a position of non-use and when released to unfold or uncoil itself into position for use, electrically-controllable means for retaining it in its position of non-use, and a propelling-spring for initiating its movement to position for use, substantially as described.

3. A flexible fire-escape for attachment to the upper part of a buildingLadapted to be folded or coiled up and held in a position of non-use and when released to be automatically delivered into position for use, in combination with means comprising a lock of fusible metal for retaining it in its position of non-use, electrically controllable from a distant point for its release, substantially as described. l

4. The combination with a fixed support, of a flexible fire-escape secured at one end to said support and adapted to be folded or coiled up at its other end and held in a position of non-use and when released to unfold or uncoil itself into position for use, releasable means for retaining it in its position of non-use, and a spring-support for the folded or vcoiled fire-escape also adapted to initiate its movement to position for use, substantially as described.

5. The combination with a fixed support, of a exible fire-escape secured at one end to said support and adapted to be folded or coiled up at its other end and held in a position of non-use and when released to unfold or uncoil itself into position for use, electric- Aally-controllable means for retaining it in its position of non-use, and a spring-support for the folded or coiled fire-escape also adapted to initiate its movement to position for use, substantially as described.

6. A flexible fire-escape for attachment to the upper part of a building, adapted to be folded or coiled up and held in a position of .IIO

said support and adapted to be folded orv coiled up at its other end and held in a position of non-use and when released to unfold or uncoil itself into position for use, a movable hood extending over the fire-escape and adapted when closed to retain it in its position of non-use, releasable means for retaining the hood in such position, and a spring for moving the hood from retaining position when thus released, substantially as described.

8. The combination with a fixed support, of a iiexible fire-escape secured at one end to said support and adapted to' be folded or coiled up at its other end and held in a position of non-use and'when released to unfold or uncoil itself into position for use, a movable hood extending over the fire-escape and adapted when closed to retain it in its position of non-use, electrically-controllable means for retaining the hood in such position, and a spring for moving the hood from retaining position when thus released, substantially as described.

9. A flexible {ire-escape for attachment to the upper part of a building, adapted to be folded or coiled up and held in a position of non-use and when released to be automatically delivered into position for use, in combination with a movable hood extending over and adapted when closed to retain the fireescape in its position of non-use, means comprising a lock of fusible metal for retaining the hood in such position, electrically controllable from a distant point for its release, and a spring for moving the hood from retainin gposition when thus released, substantially as described.

10. The combination with a iixed support,of

a flexible lire-escape secured at one end to said support and adapted to be 4folded or coiled up at its other end and held in a position of non-use and when released to unfold or nncoil itself into position for use, a rearwardly-movable hood extending over the reescape and adapted when closed to retain it in its position of non-use, releasable means for retaining the hood in such position, and a forwardly-moving spring put under tension by the hood and adapted to throw the latter open and to initiate the movement of the fireescape, substantially as described.

11. The combination with a fixed support,of a iiexible fire-escape secured at one end to said support and adapted to be folded or coiled up at its other end and held in a position of non-use and when released to unfold or uncoil itself into position for use, a rearwardly-movable hood extending over the iireescape and adapted when closed to retain it in its position of non-use, electrically-controllable means for retaining the hood in such position, and a forwardly-moving spring put under tension by the hood and adapted to throw the latter open and to initiate the movement of the nre-escape, substantially as described.

12. A flexible tire-escape for attachment to the upper part of a building, adapted to be folded or coiled up and held in a position of non-use and when released to be automatically delivered into position for use, in combination with a spring for propelling it toward the latter position, a movable hood extending over the lire-escape and spring and adapted when closed to retain the former in its position of non-use and the latter under tension, and means comprising a lock of fusible metal for retaining the hood in its closed position, electrically controllable from a distant point for its release, substantially as described.

13. A fire-escape apparatus comprising a suitable support, a flexible ladder A,.fast at one end and coiled or folded upon itself at the other, forwardly-moving propelling-spring C, rearwardlymoving hinged hood D, and a lock engaging the cover, substantially as described.

14. A fire-escape apparatus comprising a suitable support, va flexible ladder A, propelling-spring C, hinged hood D, and a lock E of fusible metal for engaging the hood, substantially as described.

15. A fire-escape apparatus comprising a support, a flexible ladder A, fast at one end and coiled or folded upon itself at the other, a spring for propelling the ladder forward, a hinged hood D adapted to be thrown inthe opposite direction by the propelling-spring, and a lock engaging the hood, substantially as described.

16. A fire-escape apparatus comprising a support, a flexible ladder A, a spring for propelling the ladder forward, a hinged hood D adapted to be thrown backward by the propelling-spring, and a lock E of fusible metal for engaging the hood, substantially as described.

17. In a building,the combination of a iiexible fire-escape secured at one end to the upper part thereof in rear of a cornice or the like and adapted to be folded or coiled up at its other end and held in a position of nonuse and When released to unfold or nncoil itself into position for use, a lock for retaining the fire-escape in its position of non-use, an electric circuit leading from a distant point controlling the lock, and means for propelling the fire-escape toward the cornice or the like.

18. In a building, the combination of a flexible fire -escape secured to the upper part thereof and adapted to be coiled or folded up thereon and heldin a position of non-use and when released to be automatically delivered to position for use, an electric circuit leading to the lower part of the building, and a lock IOO of fusible metal for retaining the lire-escape l in its position of non-use, controlled by said circuit to release the fire-escape, substantially as described.

19. In a building, the combination of a iiexible fire-escape secured at one end to the upper part thereof in rear of a cornice or the like and adapted to be folded orcoiled up at its other end and held in position of non-use and when released to unfold or nncoil itself into position for use, a lock for retaining the lire-escape in its position of non-use, an electric circuit leading from a distant point controlling the lock, and a spring for propelling the fire-escape toward the cornice or the like.

20. In a building, the combination of a plurality of flexible fire-escapes secured to the upper part thereof and each adapted to be coiled' or folded up thereon and held in position of non-use and when released to be automatically delivered to position for use, an electric circuit leading to the lower part of the building, and a lock of fusible metal for each iireescape for retaining it in its position of' nonuse, the several locks being controlled by said circuit to simultaneously release the several lire-escapes, substantially as described.

21. In a building,the combination of a fleXi ble fire-escape secured at one end to the upper part thereof in rear of a cornice or the like and adapted to be folded or coiled up at its other end and held in position of non-use and When released to unfold or uncoil itself into position for use, a lock for retaining the fire-escape in its position of non-use, an electric circuit leading from a distant point controlling the lock, a spring for propelling the nre-escape toward the cornice or the like, and a hood extending over the fire-escape and spring and retained in closed position by the lock and opened by said spring When released.

22. In a building,the combination of a ilexible iire escape secured to the upper part thereof and adapted to be coiled or folded up thereon and held in a position of non-use land when released to be automatically de= witnesses.

EUGENE T. RYAN. Witnesses z A. A. V. BOURKE, T. F. KEHOE. 

